How should I go about getting custody of my kids if I can't afford a lawyer? 3 Answers as of August 20, 2012

We agreed for him to keep the kids until I got a job and once I was stable he would return them but he is now asking for full custody. He has an attorney but I don't have the money for one right now. What should I do? I pick my kids up every Friday -Sunday and he keeps them during the week, but Im able to take care of them now and want the tables turned.

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Since he has an attorney, it might difficult to get what you want as a professional is representing him. You might want to try seeking assistance from Legal Aid. If you have to represent yourself, then you need to answer any petition filled with the court and might need to file a counter petition to state your position. No one can actually coach you on what to do or say in court as the process is very unpredictable, you go with whatever was presented and defend yourself.

Even without an attorney you can ask the court to order a home study (compares the home environments that you each have to offer) and in many counties the fees are on a sliding scale so you might only have to pay $200-$500.

I hate to tell you, but if your husband has a lawyer, you are dead in the water if you don't have a good one, too. Beg and borrow from family and friends, anyplace you can. If that doesn't work, the Alabama Bar Association has a program where lawyers agree to handle things like this for free, usually once or twice a year.

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